As families gear up for the holidays, Miller & Ashmore Real Estate is teaming up with The ReCyclery for the sixth year in a row to help kids in need get new bikes for free.
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As families gear up for the holidays, Miller & Ashmore Real Estate is teaming up with The ReCyclery for the sixth year in a row to help kids in need get new bikes for free.
Beth Ross, operations and marketing manager for Miller & Ashmore, said its partnership with The ReCyclery is intended to promote a healthier and more sustainable community.
“Many dedicated volunteers are currently hard at work dismantling, sanding, painting and doing whatever else they can to bring older kids’ bikes to a good-as-new condition,” Ross said. “The bikes are gifted to families identified by local nonprofits.”
Kevin Miller, owner and broker at Miller & Ashmore, amplified Ross’ sentiments.
“Promoting healthy, active families is important, and we believe every kid should have a safe, well-functioning bike of their own,” Miller said. “We’re happy to help make that happen.”
Dan Stranahan, program director of The ReCyclery, said the program began in 2013. He estimated it’s restored about 170 bicycles since then.
Stranahan credited Dove House Advocacy Services, OlyCAP and Jefferson Healthcare with dispersing those bikes to children in need.
“In the past, we’ve also worked with Jumping Mouse and The Boiler Room,” Stranahan said. “We give each of these organizations vouchers for one free kids bike, and through their services, they identify families in need and give each family a voucher they can then bring to The ReCyclery and redeem.”
Stranahan said The ReCyclery and Miller & Ashmore place their trust in those organizations “to get bikes to those that need them most” because the organizations are in direct contact with families who are using public health, counseling and housing services.
Stranahan said the program can use volunteers, bike donations, parts and monetary donations to purchase new parts such as grips, pedals, chains and tires.
Although volunteers make a big push to work on kids bikes every fall, Stranahan estimated volunteers devote more than 300 hours to such labors throughout the year.
“Depending on how many bikes our volunteers are able to rebuild in a given year — which is usually between 30 and 60 — the program costs us an estimated $1,500 to $3,000,” Stranahan said. “This is based on the cost of parts, a small amount of staff labor hours and the cost of repainting the frames.”
The ReCyclery takes all bike-related donations at 1925 Blaine St. in Port Townsend from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday in the winter, and from noon to 6 p.m. in the summer.
Money can be donated in person or via The ReCyclery’s website at ptrecyclery.org, where volunteer applications also can be found. Other inquiries can be directed to Stranahan at programs@ptrecyclery.org.
Ross said Miller & Ashmore provides a substantial financial contribution annually and outfits each bike with a custom bell along with a stuffed Miller & Ashmore Real Estate puffin (named “Pufferton”) for each child.
